Thursday, June 30, 2011

God put such a creative appetite in me that I find myself yearning to "make" something all the time. I have to sit on it quite often as I have more to "do" than time to "do it all in".

It's Thursday and I have a newsletter to finish and take to the printers. I have a house in disarray after a flood. I have an office that needs cleaning. I have checkbooks that are screaming to be balanced, but all I want to do is play.

I'm really glad my parents instilled in me a good work ethic. "Work first, play later" is what I remember them saying and so I said it to my daughter. So here I am releasing a little of my creative juices by blogging a quick thought or two.

Getting in gear. My accordion is calling too. Time to get some cotton to stuff in my ears.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

What do you do when God shows up on your scene and you can't even doubt it was Him? Well I blog!

Yesterday was supposed to be a busy day, but my day got just a little too busy for me. I had prepared for a houseful of women to do a card and paper crafting workshop. The tables were set, the chocolate was all set out on the dining room table. Iced tea and lemonade were cooling out in the fridge. All the supplies were cut, sorted and prepped. The girls began filtering in with their own chocolates (Hey it was a "chicks and chocolate" workshop) and we sat down to our projects. There were two new gals at the tables so there was a lot of "getting to know you" going on. Happy chatter and banter continued throughout the afternoon as we nibbled, crafted and enjoyed the cool of the A/C and overhead fan buzzing in the background. We heard a popping noise but everyone agreed it was just the ice in the sink settling. (NOT!!!) Soon we heard a hissing and watery flowing noise. One gal assumed it was the coffee maker, but when she looked there was NO coffee brewing. I stood and walked towards the noise. It was then my mind began to shut down. I can even feel my heart beat racing as I write this!

As I approached the sound I could see at least an inch of water in the master bathroom. I could also hear a LOT of water flowing. As I got closer I could see a hole in the wall where the water had literally blown through the sheet rock. I began running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Again, when I look back I can tell my head shut off.

I knew there must be a cut off somewhere, but none of us could find it. There wasn't one on the water heater (the source of the flood waters). I went outside and could see that the water had been flowing long enough to flood behind the house. The house being a mobile home meant that things weren't "normal". I looked for a cut off and found what I thought was the top to the cut off box. I opened it and turned it, but to no avail. The girls were doing their best to stop the water in the house, search for the cut off and come up with some way to stop the destruction. I got on my cell and called the manager of the mobile home park. I screamed the problem and told her to come help me find the cut off.

Normally my husband would be the one doing all the problem solving, but he just happened to be in New Mexico in the mountains fasting and praying. His cell is out of range of any towers so I know not to expect to hear from him until sometime Sunday. It was Saturday when all the chaos began and I knew I wouldn't be reaching him any time soon.

When the manager arrived she helped look for the cut off. By this time the water had flooded into my bedroom and was turning the blue carpeting into a soggy smelly mess. I wanted new carpeting, but this was not how I planned to get it. One of my friends was under the mobile home (after tearing the skirting away) and was trying to pop the PVC pipe loose from the connection to the water heater. The sheet rock had since fallen to the ground and exposed the culprit behind the mess; a broken coupling on the front of the water heater. The popping noise we had heard earlier was this plastic ring splitting under the high pressure of the water and hitting the sheet rock on the cover of the water heater panel.

I had mentioned earlier to the gals that hubby was the one who plumbed all the cut offs for the park. It's just like this sort of situation to make one feel helpless and just plain stupid. I hear my husband talking about all the cut offs and how the home owners don't know where theirs are. Here I am in the same boat. Hey, wait I could have used a boat. I suddenly remembered that hubby has a helper in this fine art of plumbing; a guy named, "Joseph". Problem is I have never laid eyes on Joseph. The manager must have been thinking the same thing because the next thing I know is that Joseph is there and has found the cut off, turned it off, repaired the broken pipe under the mobile home and volunteered to use his "Unflood" van to vacuum the mess and left two huge drying fans. He and his wife graciously cleaned the whole mess up and refused to take a penny. Normally it would be my husband and me doing the "good Samaritan" thing!

My girlfriends and I all looked like drowned swamp rats. I sat it a fog as I came down from the adrenaline high I was in and began to shake. The reality of the situation was just so surreal!

All I can say is that the situation though not perfect is handled until Monday. I will be checking the moisture level at the house and calling Joseph to come get his fans as well. God is so good. He provided a flood in my desert and then provided the savior to the situation. Makes me think of the son of Joseph (Ben Yoseph) who became a servant and paid the ultimate price for our deliverance! If my Joseph's middle name is David I will totally freak out! I guess I'll ask him the next time I see him.

Thanks Abba for providing every answer when I was so totally helpless in my own skin.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

I'm a bit sad this afternoon. I suppose I shouldn't be looking forward, but simply enjoying the day. My grandkids leave the day after tomorrow and I have no idea when I'll see them again. We've had so much fun, but their mom wants them home with her. I understand missing your kids. I miss my daughter all the time.

Today we went to Chuck E. Cheese and played for a couple hours. The kids had a blast and it was so fun to watch them running from one arcade game after another collecting prize tickets. The store manager was so kind. He worked on all the machines and when he earned tickets he left them hanging from the machines. The kids discovered them and followed him around like little squirrels collecting acorns. They ate very little pizza, but sure had fun trading in their tickets.

This afternoon we headed to the other house and they created with their art kits and supplies from my scrapbook room. Presently they are watching a new Spongebob Squarepants DVD we purchased for their stay.

Life is short and time with the grandkids is even shorter. They spend a great deal of time with the other side of the family, but we aren't as fortunate to live close. So we're squeezing every second of joy out of their stay. It's been an adventure and I'm going to enjoy tomorrow like it's the last day I ever see them. I won't waste one second.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

I'm sitting at my computer as is normal. I had a busy morning crafting with four kiddos. We made Spongebob wallets to hold either ear buds or DS player styli. I was thrilled at how quickly my students whipped out their projects. I made one as an example last night, but had purchased an additional one to make while I was teaching the kids. I now have two to give our grandkids when they get here on Sunday. They will be thrilled.

We have had a really productive day today. Jeff worked on farm things, I did my craft workshop, worked on my business stuff and planned some stuff for my craft club. The rest of the week we'll be busy getting ready for the visit of our grandkids. Our excitement level peaks with each passing day. We have many great surprises in store for our precious grandkids.

I need to get at dinner. I'm changing loads of things in our lives and one of them is diet. Phew, lifestyle changed can be a real challenge.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Have you ever had something you were looking forward to with excitement? It seems to me that when I'm looking forward to something it seems to take forever to come! I have nine days to wait until our grandkids come for two weeks. I also have an order coming from the company I work for (Stampin UP) along with the new big Idea book! I love getting new things and ordering stuff online and waiting for it it a lot like my youth when we'd order from monkey Wards or Sears. We'd pour over the catalogs and dream of the neat stuff.

I remember getting a Barbie and with her came a teensy tiny catalog with outfits you could buy. I rarely could afford the outfit, but I didn't care because the catalog was an opportunity to dream. I remember the smell of the new Barbie and the smell of that tiny little catalog. Those memories bring warm fuzzies to me even at my age.

I have learned that the voyage is half the fun on a journey to an exciting destination. So while the excitement is making me wait, I'm relishing the wait as much as the actual place I'm headed to.

I know I will get to create new things with the stuff coming. I know I'll spend time going through that new catalog over and over and enjoy every dreamy moment. Why? Because I've done it before. It's no fun to me to get everything I want in the blink of an eye. I love the anticipation of waiting for something good. I love waiting for the imminent arrival of our grandchildren. I can hardly wait to see the looks on their faces when we disclose our vacation plans. They have no clue and I like it that way. I love the planning and preparing for the fun we are GOING to have. It's all part of the bigger picture.

Soon all of the things I'm looking forward to will be memories in themselves. For now I'm going to enjoy the ride. I hope you're enjoying your ride as well.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

I've been busy planning the arrival of our grandkids and also a trip on the road. I put together "kid's kits" to keep them busy on the drive. I found a great deal at "Michael's"; art kits with crayons, colored pencils, paints, markers, pastels, eraser and ruler. They were clearanced for $1.99! I knew chances were good the markers were dry and voila, that was exactly what I discovered. I refused to take them back because the nice boxes were so full of other stuff they were still a good deal. I was looking at all the goodies when a light flashed in my brain. I went and got my Stampin Up ink pad refill bottles. I have all the refill colors for the current ink pads and some of the oldies as well. I had purchased two of the art kits so I went through both boxes and took the markers two at a time and daubed their tips with the refill bottle tips! Eureka the markers worked again!

So now the kids can have their choice of mediums when it comes to creating. I know it will take a long time to use all those refills, but knowing I can refill all the markers in our lives for the foreseeable future is nice.